NARCONON BLOG

DRUG INFORMATION

Alcohol Addiction Connected to Loss of Sense of Smell, Damaged Gait, and Impaired Balance

A scientific paper shows how people who drink alcohol compulsively often lose their sense of smell. Another paper showed how heavy drinkers tend to develop ambulatory and balance-related issues, making them more prone to falls and other accidents.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Multiple States Stiffen Penalties on Drug Dealing. But Will This Solve America’s Addiction Epidemic?

Since January 2023, several states have significantly increased penalties on drug dealing, all to discourage drug dealers from setting up shop in their states. While the intention behind such actions is good, stiffer penalties for drug dealers won’t...

DRUG INFORMATION

FDA Takes Action to Restrict Addictive Tranquilizer Drug, But Is it Too Late?

A new report outlines how the FDA is cracking down on xylazine diversion, the animal tranquilizer currently being mixed into opioids to create deadly concoctions that kill users. The FDA is moving in the right direction by making this effort, but more...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Despite a Decline in Deaths, More than 100,000 Americans Lost Their Lives to Drugs in 2022

Nationwide trends regarding drug overdoses should be examined. However, it is equally important to examine local data and state-to-state figures, as what is occurring on a local level today can paint a picture of the nationwide trends tomorrow.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Methamphetamine Deaths Increased by More Than 50-Fold Between 1999 and 2021—Fentanyl Largely to Blame

“I won’t overdose on that drug—it’s not an opioid.” For decades, people who have become addicted to mind-altering substances like methamphetamine and other non-opioid drugs have used this line to justify using their drug of choice.

DRUG INFORMATION

Alcohol May Speed Alzheimer’s Progress in the Brain

A new study shows that, for people already at risk for Alzheimer’s disease or who are in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, alcohol consumption may worsen symptoms and speed up the onset of the disease. These findings are another clear indicator of why...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Cocaine Deaths Surge as Autopsies Reveal Fentanyl in Most Cocaine Overdoses

One of the most critical developments of the last decade concerning drug abuse has been stories of traces of synthetic opioids creeping into local supplies of drugs, types of drugs previously thought to be “non-lethal” (or drugs that were thought to...

DRUG INFORMATION

Polysubstance Use: What Is It? What Are the Dangers?

Focusing on one problem like opioid overdoses or methamphetamine use misses the bigger picture: the polysubstance use that is so common. A look at the most common drug combinations provides insight into the extent of this challenging issue.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

The True Death Toll of Drug Abuse (It’s Not Just Overdoses)

While the news media routinely report the number of fatal drug overdoses, there are dozens of unseen ways that drugs and alcohol are claiming thousands of lives.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

What Is the Scope of Alcohol Addiction in America?

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recently updated their statistical data on the scope of alcohol-related harm in America, releasing new figures on alcohol addiction, alcohol-related death, youth drinking, alcohol-related emergencies,...

DRUG REHABILITATION

The Importance of Peer Support in Addiction Treatment

Tackling addiction is not an easy task, especially at the beginning. But with the right program and the right support, addiction can be overcome, and eventually, it will get easier day by day. There is a way through to the other side of addiction, and...

ADDICTION

Naloxone Helps Save Addicts from Overdoses, but Treatment Must Follow

Naloxone has been, at times, a controversial medicine because some view its availability as encouraging drug use. Those who hold this perspective believe that, if addicts have access to naloxone, they may feel more inclined to use drugs...

ADDICTION

Help for Mothers Who Struggle with Addiction

Addiction does not discriminate. It doesn’t matter what a person’s background, race, or religion is. In today’s society, where drugs and alcohol are so prevalent, anyone can fall into addiction.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Pharma Executives Now Face Jail Time for their Role in the Opioid Epidemic

News reports and Justice Department press releases show two prominent pharmaceutical company executives are facing jail time for their role in causing the opioid epidemic.

DRUG INFORMATION

High Strength Cannabis More Likely to Cause Addiction

Cannabis has become more potent in recent years, drawing concern from public health officials who warn that high-strength marijuana products could pose serious health risks.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Young Americans Drink Less. What Has Worked in Shifting Them Away from Alcohol?

For the first time in half a century, the United States has produced a generation of youths who are now coming of age and who are consuming less alcohol than the generations before them did when they were the same age. This article attempts to uncover...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Prescription Drug Take Back Days Are Successful. Is Mail-In Take Back the Next Logical Step?

A study found that leftover opioid medications were properly disposed of by 60% of study participants who had received a mail-in disposal kit, compared to just 43% of the study participants who had not received such a kit. Is a mail-in approach the next...

DRUG INFORMATION

Adolescents at Three Times Greater Risk for Cannabis Addiction

Marijuana is often cited as the first drug people use, and they often use it while still young. New research suggests adolescents are three times more likely to succumb to cannabis addiction...

DRUG INFORMATION

One Drink Is One Drink Too Many

Though its consumption is normalized and considered acceptable in American culture, alcohol harms the mind and body, even when used “in moderation.” A recent study found that even just one drink “primes” the brain for addiction.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Without an Opioid Antidote, What Would Our Overdoses Losses Look Like?

Analysis of state and national statistics for fatal and non-fatal opioid overdoses reveals a shocking threat to Americans, far in excess of what our overdose deaths statistics would indicate.